


Melt

by sepultra



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Denial of Feelings, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Panic Attacks, Timeline What Timeline, alcohol mention, rated teen for potential future shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepultra/pseuds/sepultra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico and Leo are both Emotionally Unavailable, and it's good to have an ally for this sort of thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cold to the Touch

**Author's Note:**

> This is strictly a fanwork - characters belong to Rick Riordan.

Nico sat in the corner of his cabin with his head between his knees and his fingers grasping at his hair, trying desperately to remember how to breathe.

The panic attacks didn’t come quite so often any more, that was true, but they still paid him visits with some regularity. He tried to keep them private. Having friends was one thing, but Nico often felt smothered when those friends got too invested in his problems. They were _his_ problems. Annabeth knew, and he didn’t mind that. When he started to panic that time, she’d not started fussing and _caring_ , she’d just told him how to sit and sat quietly while he worked it through, and once it passed she hadn’t said a thing. Nico was grateful for that. Hazel suspected, he was sure, but she didn’t press. She never pressed too hard. He loved her for that.

Breathing again, Nico raised his head and glanced around the Hades cabin. He was glad for the darkness, but he didn’t wait around to enjoy it. He figured he’d better go and make some excuses to Percy and the others about why he’d disappeared so suddenly.

Hopefully they’d believe it was just a nosebleed.

 

 

* * *

 

“Nosebleed, huh?”

Nico threw a lazy glance over one shoulder. At the sight of Leo Valdez sauntering over to where he sat, he let out an impatient breath.

“Yes,” he said, sharply. “I get them sometimes. It’s not a huge deal.”

“Oh yeah,” Leo mused as he reached Nico’s spot and sat down, heavily, ignoring the sting in the younger boy’s tone. “So do I. Usually when it’s time to turn in homework. Or when Hedge is looking to beat up the punk who made his megaphone say comical one-liners.”

Nico eyed him warily. “So?”

“So, I know that was a coverup, kiddo. An escape route. The question on everyone's lips is this: what's the son of Hades hiding this time?”

“Do _not_ call me ‘kiddo’,” Nico growled, bristling. “And it wasn’t a coverup. It’s just… a blood pressure thing.”

Leo held his hands up in surrender. “Whatever you say, man,” he said, his face a picture of innocence, fixed with a playful grin.

Nico turned his gaze away from the older boy, back towards the lake. He liked this spot, up on a hill overlooking Camp Half-Blood’s lake, even though it was relatively accessible. Leo’s presence, however, was starting to poison the view. “Why are you here?” He asked, after a pause.

“Same as you, buddy.” Leo said, shifting to get comfortable. “Came here to brood.”

Nico almost protested, but thought better of it. People like Leo didn't _brood_. Knowing he shouldn’t, and that he’d regret it, he took the bait. “About?”

Leo sat for a minute. He ran a hand through his hair. He let out a sigh. “ _Girl troubles_ ,” he hissed. His face was twisted into an expression of simultaneous annoyance and wistfulness, and it was almost comical, his elfish features clashing with the look. He was seventeen now, and he still hadn’t outgrown that pixie-like face. Nico almost smirked, but he held himself back.

“Gee,” he lilted. He didn’t hold back the sarcasm. “Must be really rough, getting rejected so much.”

Leo just turned and looked at him at that, and suddenly his face was unreadable. It was unsettling; Leo had always been so expressive, grinning, laughing, face twisted into a look of concentration as he messed with his tools. Now, he just looked blank. It made him look older. 

Speaking in a soft monotone, Leo simply said: “I’m in love with a girl who’s trapped somewhere I can never go again, and I promised her I’d come back for her. Now, I don’t think I can."

“Oh,” Nico said, his voice small.

They lapsed into silence, but for once, Nico didn't welcome it. It was deafening and heavy. It put him on edge. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, uncomfortable.

"S'cool." Leo gazed out into nothing, an arm slung over an upright knee. He looked relaxed and casual, like they'd just been talking about the weather, and for the first time Nico considered that maybe he wasn't the only one who chose to keep things hidden.

 

* * *

 

 

"A toga party," Nico deadpanned. "Really?" 

Piper nodded. "I mean, it's... probably a little tacky, but try telling the Hermes cabin that. At least it's kind of funny."

"I'm not going."

The girl before him sighed, glancing upward as if to say ' _Mom, give me strength_.' "Nico, it'll be fun," she said, making eye contact again and smiling. "You could really use the socialising. It's been bad for you lately, and it's showing."

Nico glared at the ground, wondering exactly what Piper knew. He decided she was probably aware that his life wasn't exactly sunshine and roses, but that wasn't too hard to observe at the best of times. If she knew anything more, she didn't show it. Nico appreciated her efforts, and the fact that she didn't use charmspeak, but it was useless.

Noticing him slipping, Piper played her trump card. "Will Solace will be there."

"Um," Nico muttered, and he immediately felt his cheeks burn. "Yeah. Of course. Doesn't matter to me, though, I barely know him."

Piper grinned. "Right," she said. "Well, I think you should come. At least consider it. It's not like you have to stay the whole night or anything; just come and say hi to everyone, get yourself out of that cave you call a cabin. They invited the other half of the Seven, too, so Hazel will be there." 

Nico sighed, annoyed. "All right," he mumbled. "I'll go. For Hazel. But I'm not wearing a toga."

Piper grinned and patted him on the shoulder. "You'll have a fantastic time. I'm sure of it," she said, eyes sparkling.

As she walked away, all Nico could think about was how much he was going to regret this.

 


	2. Defrost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hearts are broken and hearts are on the mend.

The Hermes cabin looked like something out of one of Nico’s nightmares.

It was absolutely packed. There were kids practically spilling out of the doors (not to mention the kids leaning precariously halfway out of a few windows). Outside, groups of toga-clad teens lined the sides of the structure; mysteriously a few had managed to get onto the roof, and Nico found himself briefly wondering if that really had been a person up in that tree. He also noticed a few satyrs milling around in the fray, eating people’s empty solo cups.

Nico took a deep breath and charged forward. As he managed to squeeze through the door and into the heart of the room, he immediately felt his head constrict. It thumped along with the beat of the music pumping obnoxiously loudly through the series of speakers rigged up on the ceiling, no doubt the Hephaestus cabin’s work. Nico felt the anxiety crash down on him like a wave. It had been a bad idea, coming here.

Just as he was beginning to panic, telling himself he could just leave and catch up with Hazel the next morning, and that he should really stop listening to Piper, he felt a hand slap his shoulder.

The uncertainty gave way to anger as Nico whipped his head around, turning simply to annoyance when he noticed Leo, looking ridiculous in his improvised bedsheet-toga, complete with tool belt and beat-up combat boots.

“Can I help you?” He growled.

“Uh, nope,” Leo said, pushing his stupid slotted party glasses upwards until they sat perched on his head. “I’m thinking the real question is whether or not _I_ can help _you_.”

Nico rolled his eyes. “I don’t need any help,” he said, glancing at the door. “I was just leaving.”

“If you’re looking for Hazel she and the others are over there,” Leo said, pointing lazily over one shoulder. “I’m no brain doctor, but I’m guessin’ that’s the only reason why you’d come to a party like this. You’re kind of... a downer.” He grinned. “No offence.”

“Offence taken.” Nico glowered, standing still for a moment amidst the throng of people. Awkwardly.

“Riiiiiiiight,” Leo said. “Well, I’m gonna go. People to be, places to do, you know the drill.”

Without waiting for a response from the other boy, Leo turned and sauntered off, head bobbing to the music, grinning and waving at various faces Nico didn’t even recognise like he was some social butterfly. After a moment of rigid stillness, Nico himself began shuffling off in the direction of his friends.

 

* * *

 

Nico found himself hunched into a corner within the first few hours, starting to feel like he and the awkwardly positioned chair on which he sat had something in common - both worn out and very out of place. 

It wasn't as though he'd been having a bad time, necessarily; it was great to see Hazel again, and whether he was going to admit it or not hanging out with the others was pretty good, even in a situation as overcrowded and boisterous as the party. After the initial overwhelming impression, it wasn't all that bad. But, of course, when they started playing some slow song and everyone started coupling off - _what is this, prom?_ \- Nico started to feel a little out of his depth. Again.

So now he was wedged into his shadowy corner, watching people dancing together and listening to two Hecate kids nearby talk about some concert they were planning on going to when they got back to their homes out in the mortal world. A few faces he recognised drifted past every now and again. He got a wave and a thumbs-up from Hazel once during her dance with Frank. The music wasn't too bad, some mellow acoustic song Nico vaguely recognised. He might've felt out of his depth, but he wasn't uncomfortable the way he'd been earlier. It was... good. 

Until, of course, the crowd parted and his eyes were drawn to Will Solace. 

 

* * *

 

Piper had been right, of course, when she'd said Will would be there. Nico hadn't seen the blonde boy all night, but it came as no surprise when he did, eventually. It was always easy to spot Will in a crowd.

What did come as a surprise was the passionate make-out session he'd been engaged in when Nico finally did lay eyes on him.

Trudging up his hill of choice, hands shoved into the pockets of his favourite jacket, Nico fought the hot, burning sensation behind his eyes and tried telling himself it wasn't a big deal. He and Will barely talked, after all; they'd fought together, and that brought anyone closer, but it wasn't like that had suddenly made them best friends. Or... anything else. Even if Nico would have liked that. 

And it wasn't like Nico ever even went out of his way to try and talk to Will more, either. Nico didn't really go out of his way to try and talk to anyone.

The air was cool against the heat of Nico's face, and he gave up on trying to hold his tears back. Reaching the apex of the hill, he stopped.

"As if I haven't had enough unpleasant surprises tonight," he yelled, tearing his hands out of his pocket to swipe at his face.

Leo turned around at that, and Nico immediately regretted his little outburst. If he hadn't said anything, he could've just walked away, gone and found some other place to be alone; of course, he had to go and open his mouth. He felt his mood drop further at the thought.

"Chill," Leo said, ignoring Nico's tears. "'S'not like this is your _property_ , or whatever." He sniffed.

The slurring wasn't lost on Nico. After a moment's awkward standing on his part and Leo's turn back around to face the now-dark view, Nico decided he was too tired and too worn-out and too upset to care about the company. It seemed like Leo was probably getting past the point of no return, anyway. Seeing the older boy pull out a flask only confirmed this. Nico trudged up a little further and sat, a couple feet away from his apparent neighbour.

"Why you sittin' all the way over there?" Leo asked.

Nico stared. "Because alcohol is flammable, and I don't trust you not to burst into flames, or something," he said. 

Leo stared back. Nico could almost see the cogs turning in his brain as his words embarked on the treacherous journey through the drunken haze of his mind. "Oh," he managed, eventually. "Ha. Flammable. 'S'right. Probably a good idea, kiddo."

"Don't call me that."

"You got it. Buddy."

"I'm also not sitting near you because I don't like you."

"I had no idea."

They lapsed back into silence, gazing out at the horizon. The view wasn't as nice at night, with everything darkened and unmoving, but the hill was an oasis of calm, a stark contrast to the party. Occasionally the silence was broken by Leo's swigs from his flask. Nico was surprised to find he didn't even care. 

"So," Leo said, eventually. Nico noticed his eyes, bloodshot and hooded as they were, and wondered exactly what was in the flask. "Why'd you come up here, anyway? Figured parties aren't your scene, but you coulda jus'... gone home, or something. You come back up here for more brooding?" 

"No," Nico snapped, immediately; then on a whim: "Yes."

Leo collapsed from his sitting position until he lay on the grass, then rolled over onto his stomach, shuffling around to face the other boy. "Y'wanna talk about it?" He asked, propping his head in his hands and staring intently at Nico. Or as intently as a drunk person could stare, anyway. He looked almost comical, swinging his legs around behind him and grinning.

Nico stilled for a minute and considered. On one hand, venting actually sounded kind of good right about then, but on the other hand... it wasn't like he and Leo were friends. A quest or two's worth of teammateship didn't mean Nico was ready to spill his innermost thoughts and feelings to this guy. Especially not when Leo was there, drunk, with his stupid sheet toga now loosened and shifted apart, leaving the guy lying next to Nico... in his underwear. 

"I had a stupid crush and he kissed someone else," Nico blurted. And then winced. He hadn't meant to say anything, and he especially hadn't meant to drop the 'he'-bomb. Just because he was out to a handful of people didn't mean he had to be out to everyone.

To Nico's relief, Leo didn't even bat an eye. _He probably isn't even digesting a thing I'm saying_ , Nico mused, observing the older guy's hooded eyes and slack jaw.

"Nico," Leo said, and paused. "Nico. Neekster. Crushes are never stupid, man. The heart wants what the heart wants." 

"Don't call me that."

"Nico?"

"Neek... Neekster. That's not even a name."

"Nickname, dude." Leo smirked. "Nic-name."

"Whatever. Cover yourself up. I don't wanna see your stupid underwear."

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles... not stupid."

"Very stupid. Like crushes."

Leo frowned at that, his whole face shifting with the effort, brows drawing close together and his small mouth creeping down at the edges. "Love hurts, dude, but it's... it's worth it," he said, and searched out Nico's eyes. "You know?"

Their gaze met for a second before Nico looked away. "You sound like Aphrodite or something."

"Aphrodite knows what she's talking about."

They shifted into silence after that. Nico tried to look at his companion as little as possible, but it seemed as though Leo's eyes were locked exclusively on Nico. Whether or not that gaze was even focussed was another question, but Nico felt weirdly exposed under its weight.

"Stop looking at me," he murmured, hunching into himself a fraction more.

"He's dumb," Leo said, suddenly, ignoring Nico's instruction. "Your crush. He could've had you, but... Huh. Wasted opportunity."

Nico's mouth slackened into a tiny O. Was that a...? _Don't even question it_ , he thought to himself. _Don't even go there_. 

The silence fell around them again as Nico looked back into the darkened horizon, away from the guy lying next to him in his underwear, away from his memories of Will at that party and away from the churning mass of emotions settling into the pit of his stomach. He just let himself cool and harden in the evening chill, and resolved not to let anything about his love life slip again. Especially not to Leo.

When he dared to glance around again, Leo was asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i want to apologise for this extremely delayed update - i've been working on this chapter on and off for months and getting nowhere, and life's been getting in the way (graduation, exams, personal life, family, the whole shebang).
> 
> i'll be real with you all, updates are gonna happen if/when i get in the right headspace. could be that they come within days, could be months. i can't tell you. but if you want to stick with this, or if you've stuck with it so far, let me tell you: a hearty and incredulous THANK YOU from me to you. i appreciate every little comment, kudos and hit i get for this thing. it's a fun project and i'm really hoping i can get it finished.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fic, and I'm praying I'll stick with it... I'm not the best at long works. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! As always, kudos & comments are appreciated :>


End file.
